Doorlock



A. v. RowE 1,873,485

DooRLocK Filed oct. 1o. 195o .-4 sheets-sheer 1.

l Aug. 23, 1932.

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DOORLOCK Filed Oca. l0. 1930. 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Aug. 23, 1932. A. V. RowE` 1,873,485

-DooRLocK Filed Oct. 10, 1930 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 ifi i) www4/@WW ANTE- Patented Aug. 2 3, 1932A traner ALvIN v. gown, or Gai-.assunte ILmNors; AssIGNoR To RoWE MANUFACTURING ooM- retry, or eaLEsBURe, ILLINOIS, aj'oonroRAfrIoN or ILLINoIs Y T1151L PATENT GF'FICE i Doo-BLOCK Y Appncarion aired-l octeber.- 1o, 1930i serial- No. 487,644;y

'My invention relatesr generally tof` locking;

rage doors, as vvell as the garagestructures` immediately adjacent thereto, aresubjected:

to structural variationsy such l asA expansion and contraction.. These structural changes'Y lo often result in misalinement o-f theV door1 sections, and this is particularly true; in*k con.- nection with garage doorsinadeupr of;afplurality ofl hingedly connected door sections., Another problem resulting from Weather:

15- conditionsis that ofthe accumulation onf the garage floor or sill'` of4 snow and ice, Which;

frequently prevents doors: ofi the overheadtype `from being completely sealed against.

the floor. Illhe sills or floors'ofgaragesfintmediately adjacent the door sections some'h times become el'eyatedf duey to expansion',V

lthereby preventing the4 door" from4 being.`

shifted to its original loWerm'ostposition.4 Obviously, when the door sectionsalre subL bevmade in order to render the conventional latching or locking device 'on the door funcitionally operative. In -other Words, it becomes necessary to re-aline the: complemen-` '30 tary locking elements. Loclnngfdeviceseme ployed heretofore 1n connection Witlrshlft able doors as, for example garage doorslof the overhead type, have not been readily' ad-v fore, and to this fend I proposejto provide 5" a simple and eciently operable locking'device of improved practical construction,

hiore specifically, my invention-contemplates the provision of a locking device for use vv-ithVv vertically shiftable door sections,

which is so designed as to effect thepositiye locking ofthe sections When the lovvermost section is positioned adjacent the floor, or

when said lowermost section is positioned! away from the Hoor, whereby topermit the positive'locking'of the door, even though:V

" jected't'o these conditions, adjustmentmust or` sill. i Still more specifically, my y inventionV con-` templates theY profvision of locking 'mea-ns the lowermost sectionfdoesnot abut the'iioor as above set forth, havingV a plurality of 55.2

notches ori recesses,.vvl1i`ch1 cooperate With a locking element inisecuring theE dooi` sections in various positions With respect to the/Hoor..V Another object of-'my invention is to proy vide: ai locking deviceforhingedly connected; d Y

doorv sectionsof the overhead type, which: is designed so as to positively prevent the' bending or breakage of the projecting. por tions of the lock-ing deviceadjacenttheguide rails. as said' device is shifted along; the es* curved section of said rail;l j i i j 1 Still another object of myinvention' is to provide; av locking device with self-adjusting lockingelementsprojecting-on oppositesides ofthed'oorsectionathat is, to provide means mf j l which Will permit such shiftable lockingelements-to arutomat'i caliyseat' themselves Within a complementary notch or recess regardlessV of the vertical alinementlof the panels;4

linA additionV toV the above mentioned self- 1liy alining feature of my` improved locking devicegimy invention contemplates theprovision'A ofshifftable locking elements adapted- 13o-.proL ject on opposite sides of tliedoor panels, which are equipped at their outer extremities 80 with adjustable sectionsgwhereby the length of Vthe locking element may be adjustedfto meet the` particular" needs incidentate its use. 1` The foregoing and numerous other objectsl 85 and advantages Willbe morel apparent from' the following'detailed-` description' `wheny conf sidered in connection with the accompanying' drawings,vvherein-A 1 A' F'gure I isan elevational vievvfofarrove'rflk `90 headV door which is equipped With a locking` device incorporating features of my inven- Y, tion; l l Figure 2 'is anl enlarged;v detail sectionali view of theV upperportion" of the guide rail`l 95 taken substantially along-the line 2:-2 ,of F igurel.,I said vievvdisclosing the doorpanels: occupyn g a shifted; position inorder toi-show hoiv my improvedlocking' element-is freev from interference With-.the guide railfas: it` isf l? 'Y shifted between, vertical and horizontal sections thereof;

Figure 3 isV an enlargedV elevational view of the portion of the locking devicev associated with the central hinge of the door, said device being shownin itsV locking position;

Figure 4 is a'view similar to' Figure 3, disclosing the locking device in its unlocked posi-A tion;v` Figure 5 is a vertical sectional vie'w'taken substantially along the line 5-#5 of Figure'; Figure 6 is an enlarged detail sectional view, of the key'controlled locking element and its associated parts, said view being taken substantially' along the line 6 6 ofFigure 5 i i vFigure 7 isa detailsectional view ofthe key controlledk locking mechanism and its -associatedparts as shown in Figure '5, said locking element being disclosed in its unlocking position; t f L.

Figure 8 is a' fragmentary detaily sectional view taken substantially along theiline 8 ofFigure 4; Y c @Figure 9.is an enlarged elevational view of the hinge and associated locking elements` positioned on the'right side of the door as viewed in Figure 1, a portion of the vertical section of the guide rail'being broken away to exposeparts otherwise hidden; .Y Figure 10 is an elevational view the right of Figure y9 `Figure'llxis asectional view taken substantially along the line 11-11 of Figure 9;

s Figure 12 is also a vertical sectional view takensubstantially along the line 124-12 of Figure 10; and

Figure 13 isa line 13-13 of Figure 9. j Y Y Referring now to the drawings more vin de ythe guide rail'taken substantially alongthe Vtail v wherein like numerals have been ein-v ployed to designate'siniilar parts throughout theV various figures, it will be seen that, for the purpose of disclosing one practical applica-r tion of'my invention, I have shown thesame inoperative association withthe garage door ofthe overhead type, whichincliides a plurality of door sectioiis20,22,24, and 26,;v These f sections arev connected at their outerextremities by means ofi-suitable hinges 28, while the central,Y portions thereof Vfare connected by f similar'hinges'BO. The hinge 30 which joins 1 Vthe-central portions of the door sections 22 andr24 is slightly larger than the other hingesV for the purpose of providing a mounting for. aldoor locking mechanism, about to be des A. scribed. .The structural characteristics of 'the door panels and the mechanisnifor shifting said' sections between vertical and overhead` horizontal positions are not necessary to a clear understandin@a ofniypresent invention,

- andthereforeit will suffice to'state that these sections are adaptedwto be shiftedl between closed'and opened overhead, positions byl shifting the same along guide rails32.. YThese taken from guide rails are positionedat each side of the doorv sections and include an upright vertical section 84, a curved section 36, Figure 2, and

a substantially horizontal section 38. Rollers p 40 of the type shown in Figure 9 are mounted adjacent each of the outer hinges 28 and are n guided within the rails 32.

Y The door locking means'referred to above includes a pair of horizontally disposed shiftvablerods 4,2, vwhich are connected at their` inner extremities with a camfdisk or member 44. *.This cam in-einberv44 is provided with vcut-outs orapertures 46, and these apertures Iare bounded'alongone'side by cam surfaces of the rods 42l extending inwardly from these v,depending .supports y is.. bent so `as to present a follower member orzsection 42a, which extends into the recess 46 and is adapted to ojo-act withthecam surfaces 48 when rotation is imparted'thereto in response to the manual Y manipulation'of the Vcontrol handle'54/,1Figf L ures 3 vand 5.

* Coiled springs56 interposedbetween the depending support members() anda suitable abutment 58 Von `each of the rods 42serve to continuously` urge said rods loutwardly awayy fromthe axisof the cam member or disk- 44.` v""lllie reason for constructionwill be apparentwhen itis observed that thefrouter extremity `of eachlof the rods-42 carries a j locking element 40, which forms an extension f ofsaidrod and isadapted, when urged toits horizontal sectional view of outermost position through the aotion'of the v Y spring'56,Vv to interlock f'witli abfutments vor teeth62, vasclearly shown; in Figure 9. Each 1 of these-locking elements is adapted ltobe longitudinally, adjusted with ,respect to its companion rod 42 through the agency ofsuity Y YTheteeth162;arei'formed along the'V outer Y inarginnof aY suitable 'angleplate 68,A Figures Y 12-and 18, which plate'isadapted to belon-V gitudinally adjusted and secured in positionV upon its complementary rail' section '34 by means Vof suitable tightening bolts 70. In

this connection' iti should be noted thatthe outer extremity ofthe lockingj elements v60. are formedfwith a tip Vor fender'72, whichv extends atsubstantially rightqanglesand,is

inclined upwardly-.from the elongatedporff Ytionf'of the locking elementGO.v The-por,-

tionofthe guide-'rail sections 34 immediately adjacent the locking' teeth or'abutments 62 iis-recessed s o as togenable-the locking element 60 to traversethe stock of the rail section', as Vwell aszthe, -stock of the anglefplate 68, f

. asiatica as clearly:shown.` in. Figure The4 func# as.the= descriptionA progresses..

tion of thefender 721 will beV more apparent:

of the locking element intooperative engagement with the abutments er teethy 624 when the door sections havebeen shifted to their closed position` as shown vin. Figure l..

beV noted that the" length of theangle plate 68, which is'formed. with the teeth 62,. permits the door panelsA to be secured against upward displacement,

At this point' it should whenlthe lower margin ofthe door sections 26' is spaced' above the floor or sill74 of the structurein which thedoors areV installed. In other words, the door sections may be secured against. upward displacement at various positions of elevation within, of course, predetermined limits .as determinedby the length'of'the angle plate 68.

In Figure l I have shown the' door sections occupying their closed position With. the

lowermost section 26 abutting Ythe' Hoor or" sill 74. When the sections voccupy this position and the elements 60 l'ockingly engage complementary' teeth 62,'the cam member or' plate is positioned as shown in Figure 3,:

and in this .position a peripheral notch. 76 in the plate 44 cooperates with a verticallyshift# able latch 78, Figures 5- and 7.5 -This latch 78 is continuously urged upwardly by means of a coiled spring 8O housed'within a. cas-V ing 82, and the lower portion of the latch`78 is provided with a 'laterally extendinofl arm 84, which permits ofV the manuali shifting of the latch 78 from the inside ofthe door'panels.'

The'shiftingof the latch Z8 is controlled from the outside/of the door sections by means of a suitable key controlled locking mechanisni which I have designated generally by y the numeral 86. The inner extremity of this mechanism 86 carries a rotatable locking strip 88, which is adapted to be rotated bett een the horizontal position shown in Figures 5 andv 6 and the vvertical position shown in Figure 7. 'Ihe outer extremity of the locking strip 88 extends through a circular opening 90 provided in the lower section of the hinge and into an elongated aperture 92 provided in the shiftable latch Vmember 78.

I Thus, when the locking strip 88 occupies the position shown in Figures 5 and 6,the latch member 7 8 will be urged upwardly into lockingengagement with the peripheral notch 7 6 of the cam plate, thereby preventing ro-` tation of the cam plate by manual manipulation of the control handle 54. I-Iowever, when the locking strip 88 is rotated 90 degrecs in response to the manual manipulation of a suitable key 94, Figure 5, tothe position shown in Figure 7, the latch member 8 will Y changingthe original Inv otheriwords, by having; a'vplu?v Y be urgeddownivardly awayl front the or recess 7 6thereby enabling'the" cam meme! ber 44to be actuated by manual manipulation l of either .oflfthe control. handles; 54. If 'ther` `control 'handles are4 rotated in` a counterclockwisedirection as viewed in Figuref, Y

so astovshift the; cam member 44 to the pesil. .tionshown inFigure 4, ,the cam surfaces-:48:`

cooperate with` the Vfollower section 42dl of,y

each; of the rods 42 so as to'move they lockingV` elements 60 out of engagement with thete'eth f or abutmentss62. These locking velements;`

will be maintained in` this disengagedxposji#Y tion-V as longzas-rthe cammember orplate 44;

positioned as shown in Figure 4, andthe doorranels will be. free to be shiftsdalong the guide rails'32. i v

By providing the fenders r2; I matie tol Y saf tween vertical' and horizontal sections of the- Y guide rail along the curvedl portion 36, Iny other words, if the control handles were lin advertently shifted to their locking position: so as to cause the springs 56'to urge the rods 42 outwardly into locking position, the fend,- ers 72 would be'moved intoenga'ge'ment withthe inner marginof the guide railf,ft'herebypreventingthe outer extremities of the lock-"A ing elements 60 from ever passing beyondthe plane'which includes the'inner edges of: said? rail sections. It Vwill be apparent, however,-. that if some means were not provided topra-v vent the movement of the locking elements, beyond this plane, and said elements were: shifted along the curved sections of the rails,` the projecting portions of thejelements-would be forced. against the `rail .section thereby' eitherubending; Vor' breaking thel same Vand;

rendering theilockingdevice inoperative.; i

distances fromjthe' Hoor or'si'll 74 and; stillv render the` locking device functionally operative.V 'I`hus,cif during thewint'er months the:

-iloorrofA the building in*` which the doors arev used, isf elevatedvby frost-so that thefpanels; cannot be loweredn tol their original closing:

position` the teeth 62? enable the door" panels tobe locked' in thisrelevated position'without: the necessity of? rearranging or'in any way position ofv theloclringe elements. rality of adj acent'ly4 positionedteetlr orf abutf.

ments, I am able toeffect thezlocking ofthe' doorlpanels,y even though the positionofthe floor hasbeenchanged oran accumulation; oft

snow and ice under thel doorhas rendered it v panels to 'their impossible to lower the door originalv position..f Furthermore'T it is often desirablefor purposesfof ventilation.- and the L likerto'. have the'. lower.- panel spaced fromjthez f7 floor, and this canrb'e accomplished by .mere-- ly bringing the loc-king elements 60 into `op-v By havingthei angle plate 68,

j ustable upon lthe rail section, I am able to position the teeth onone vsid-e of theldoor panels in proper relation With' respect to the teeth on the opposite side so' as to effect the proper changes-and the lili-@,)the door panels and ad-- closiiigjof the panels. 'Due tov climatic j acentlbuilding structures are shifted, and this f adjustable `feature enables the teeth torbe posi.-

' urfrinof the bars Ll2 outvvardl I 4am able tc n a ya Vt'i'oned. so as to compensate for Vany structuralV t v a loclnngpdevice includinga shifta'blejlock-f changes.

' By' having thecoiled springs ,56 constantly effect' the seli-'alinement 'of these elements. That is to say, if the dcor sections become slightly misalined v'with 4respect to' a central verti'calli'V e of the'door, one vertical edge of thev sections. 'would be' positioned `further to one side of the door opening than'the other.

Under thesecircumstanccs, the space providedbythe openings 46 in the plate .44 vand the springs scrve to automatically talreup this variation 1n 'vertical alinement- Without impairing the functioning oi the locking elc- .nlm

While IshaveV disclosed a particular door ments 60. In other Words, il thedo'orsections- VVwhen shifted to their closedposltion, do not occupy an lexact central position `rWith respect to the'door opening, the relatively Wide open-` ing ,or Slot in the cam permits the locking ele.

ments to automatically seat themselveswithin the'saw'tooth notches of the Vplates 68, and

thus insures theflocking engagement of the VmembersWith said notches each time the door panels are closed. y v Y j Attention is also directed to the fact 'that the caml member Ior platellll and its associated partsare located' on the hinge'member, thus 4'making i it unnecessaryfto provide a sepa-y This presents -a very practical rate base. construction. #Byhaving the: doors 42 and their associated locking elements or plungers veXteI'i'ding along a line-adjacent the airis..

Vof Vthe'hinges which connectthe sections 22 vters VPatent is :A

ing one embodiment of'my. invention, itv

should be clearly. understood .that said invention is by normeans limited to the specilic structure shown in the. draW-ings,but is capable of numerous modifications andvariations Without vdeparting Vvfrom the spirit and scopeV thereof. K. Y

vHaving thus.described 1nyinvention,what

I claimasnew and desire vtosecureby-Letl. In: combination with' a door, including a plurality of hingedlyconnected door sections shiftable along vertical,hori- Zontal and 'connecting' curved vrail Y sections,

ingl element adapted to project Vbeyond a: vertical margin 'of one of said door sections-V f and movable With said sections, an abutment" adapted to belockingly engaged by saidlock-f.,

lthe sections there-along.VVV

` 2. Incombination'.With-k aldoor structure including av pluralityfof hingedly connected displacement, and a guard onthe door sections shiftable .along vert'icah'horizontal, and connecting curved rail' sections, aj locking Vdevice including a 'shiftableflocking element adaptedy to proj ecty :beyond a vertical margin of oneof saiddoor sections andmoxn able with saidr sections', 1an abutment` adapted, to be lockingly engaged by said locking Y"ele"- ment to secure said. sections yagainst upward"y displacement, and Va'projection, extending laterally of the outer endof said'loclinglelementandV adapted Vvto engage an inner VYsurlfaceofA- said guide rail to'prevent they interlocl'ring'oflv said lockingvelement With said guide rail-.H i

" In Witness whereof, I havehereu'nto sub-)- scribed my name.

and 24, I am able toprevent the necessity ofy -moving the outer extremities ofthe. elementsv 60 across the arc presented the curved sec'- tion 36 of the guide rails.V In other Words, the extremities of the locking elements move along Aan arcuateV lpath substantially co-incident Withthe path. of the rail sections;v By

Vhaving the locking elementsv or plungers 60 Aadjustably positioned upon the rods 42, Iv am vable to furtherfadjust the over-'all length of 1 thesecombined elements. In this Way the Y .combined length of the rod .l2-audits associ- 'ated member or plunger() may be convenient'-` p 1v adjusted@ suit the particular needs inar Y' ent to its use. f v

constructionl and have described specific structural. .features `of 'a' lockingldevice represent.- i i 

